while life remains."

CHAPTER NINE.

WRECK OF THE SAN FERNANDO.

The heart of the bravest man may well sink within him when he hears the
cry uttered, in accents of despair, "The ship is sinking, the ship is
sinking!" Rogers and Adair looked at each other, and thought that their
last moments had really come. All the bright visions of the future
which their young imaginations had conjured up, vanished in a moment.
Well might they, for the ship lay hopelessly on her side, with more than
half her deck under water. There arose from every side shrieks and
cries of terror. There were the distorted countenances of the blacks,
as they crowded up the hatchway, through which the sea was pouring in
torrents, while their own men, intent on preserving their lives to the
last, were clambering up the bulwarks or working their way forward,
which was the part of the ship the highest out of the water. Hemming,
followed by the two midshipmen with axes in hand, endeavoured to gain
the same part of the ship. It was no easy task. The howling wind blew
with terrific violence around them, and the seething ocean bubbled up,
and sent its fierce waves dashing over their heads. "Oh, save me, save
me!" cried Adair, as a sea struck him and washed him down the deck; but
Hemming and Rogers caught the rope he had happily clutched and hauled
him up again. At length they gained the forecastle, where most of their
own crew had assembled and some few of the unfortunate blacks. They
were the only survivors of the four or five hundred human beings who
lately breathed the breath of life on board. Mr Hemming, looking
round, saw that there was not a chance of the ship righting herself. He
accordingly promptly issued orders for the formation of a raft. Such
spars as were loose or could be got at, were hauled up on the
forecastle. The topgallant masts and royals had been carried away, and
fortunately still floated near; Jack saw them and got them hauled in.
Hemming, meantime, was wrenching up the forecastle deck to assist in the
formation of a raft. There was not a moment to lose, for it was evident
that the ship was fast settling down. Fortunately a hammer and some
nails were found forward.

"Here, my lads, lash the ends of these spars together, so as to form a
square," cried Hemming, working energetically. "That will do; now this
one diagonally--that will strengthen it; now these planks; nail them on
as we best can on the top. That wil